To love Shakespeare
by MrsRobHouchen24601
Summary: We all know William Shakespeare, the world's most celebrated playwright and how he married a woman named Anne Hathaway, who was also known to some historians as Agnes, of whom he got three children off Hamnet, Susanna and Judith. What people don't know is that there was a woman before Anne. Actually, born after Anne, her younger sister, Susanna.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: I've had this in my documents for a long time, thought I would post it. This is just the prologue, any reviews are great, I love to hear your opinions! Some chapters might be M but I will warn you before so you can just skip it if you want to! The first real chapter to follow soon! Please enjoy xxx**

We all know William Shakespeare, the world's most celebrated playwright and how he married a woman named Anne Hathaway, who was also known to some historians as Agnes, of whom he got three children off Hamnet, Susanna and Judith. What people don't know is that there was a woman before Anne. Actually, born after Anne, her younger sister a mere girl 9 years younger than her older, less attractive sister, a girl with long golden hair with the bluest of eyes. An opposite to her sister. Her skin a light porcelain with some freckles littering her nose, some children mistaken her for a princess, so pure and never sad. Susanna Hathaway was her name. The only flaw in her life was that her father, Richard blamed Susanna for his beloved wife, Isabel's, death. Nothing that Susanna done would be good enough for her father, Anne was the golden girl, the obedient, submissive one, who could do no wrong. But to Shakespeare nobody was as perfect as his Susie. Shakespeare famously left in his will his "second-best bed with the furniture" to Anne. Unbeknownst to most people, the first was left to Susanna. How did Shakespeare make such heart wrenching tragedies? And what happened to Susanna? Why did he marry Anne?


	2. Spring 1579: Part 1

'Annie! Annie! Wait for me!' The mere 14 year old Susanna called running down the stairs of the little farm house she shared with her Father and older sister. Once Susanna had caught up with Anne, just a step away from the door, she was out of breath. 'Calm down Susanna. I wasn't going to leave without you. And it's Agnes, not Annie or Anne.' Agnes opens the door and slips through, Susanna following. It was only a short walk to the closest market, in Stratford-Upon-Avon where Anne and Susanna sell some of the food their Father produced from the farm he owned. Once they arrived, the journey filled with silence apart from Susanna humming a hymn in her perfect soprano voice and being told to shush multiple times by her sister, because it was, according to her, unladylike for a woman of Susanna's age to be doing such a thing, they started setting up, but, across the market place was a boy of 15, with a head of chocolate curls and pools of dark sapphire, always had a quill and a piece of parchment in his hand. It was there where William Shakespeare first laid eyes on Susanna. He looked up at her, almost at the same time as Susanna did. There was such thing as love at first sight, they stayed frozen looking in each other's eyes, only to be taken apart by Agnes calling her, 'Susanna?' Susanna looked away and to her sister, only to steal another quick glance at William, who was scribbling on his parchment in his hand. 'By God, Susanna! Stop your daydreaming!'

'I'm sorry dear sister.' Susanna said curtly and went back to arranging the stock.

Ten minutes later, still immersed in arranging the stock, Susanna was interrupted by a voice. 'Hello Sweet Maiden.' Susanna looked up at the enchanting tenor voice, it was him, the boy with the parchment in his hand, she smiles her pearly grin. 'Hello sir, how may assist you today?' Susanna asks. 'I was hoping you could, my Lady, I'm a writer and I was wishing for you to read this.' Susanna blushes lightly. 'I apologise, sir, for I cannot read.'

'Well, let me read it to you.' William offers, he opens the parchment, which seem to be a disjointed jumble to Susanna. 'If I profane with my unworthiest hand This holy shrine, the gentle fine is this: My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss.' He reads.

'That's beautiful sir, how did you come up with that?'

'Well Mistress?'

'Hathaway, Susanna Hathaway.'

'You see, Mistress Susanna, I saw a Angel, and it made me believe in God again.'

'You speak blasphemy, Sir!' Susanna giggled slightly.

'Maybe I could convince the Mistress Susanna on a walk, to apologise for my wicked ways?' Will joked.

'I am here with my sister.'

'So, tell her you must go.' Susanna bites her lip before heading to her sister, murmuring words that william could not make out, he watches Susanna sister huff and the wave her off with a bat of her hand. Susanna quickly rushes back to William's side. He offers her his elbow which she gladly accepts. He leads her to a path, going away from the village and heading to the riverbank. they walk for a few minutes at a slow pace. 'You never told me your name, Sir.'

'William Shakespeare.'

'Shakespeare? What a curious name! Are you making it up?'

'I swear on the almighty god, I'm not being deceitful.'

'Okay, I believe you.'

Once they reached the riverbank, William turns Susanna to him, keeping a hand on the small of her back and another on the upper half of her arm. 'But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Susanna is the sun. Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon, Who is already sick and pale with grief, That thou her maid art far more fair than she: Be not her maid, since she is envious; Her vestal livery is but sick and green And none but fools do wear it; cast it off. It is my lady, O, it is my love! O, that she knew she were! She speaks yet she says nothing: what of that? Her eye discourses; I will answer it. I am too bold, 'tis not to me she speaks:

Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven, Having some business, do entreat her eyes To twinkle in their spheres till they return. What if her eyes were there, they in her head? The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars, As daylight doth a lamp; her eyes in heaven Would through the airy region stream so bright That birds would sing and think it were not night. See, how she leans her cheek upon her hand! O, that I were a glove upon that hand, That I might touch that cheek!' William whispers as his hand traces up her arm and neck, to rest on her soft, blushing cheek. Susanna gazes on him with admiration 'Did you just make that up.'

'She speaks! And I did, My Lady, Susanna.'

'Please, call me Susanna, or Susie, I'd prefer it much more.'

'Then please call me Will.'

'Will.'

'It sounds like honey on your rosebud lips.'

'You flatter me, Will.'

'Tis not flattery if it is true' Susanna immediately blushes, finding the hem of her sleeve interesting. 'Sweet, pure, beautiful Susanna, woman who has stolen my heart and whom I wish to kiss.' Susanna gasps, looking up at William. William moves his hand from Susanna cheek to trace her upper lip, bending down to meet her lips, a sweet innocent kiss that lasted no more than five seconds. Susanna rests her forehead against William's. 'Please do that again.' She whispers.

'My pleasure.' William captures her lips again, in a much more passionate kiss, their lips moving together in perfect sync. After a few minutes they stop to catch their breath. 'I better be heading back.' Susanna states. Like in the market place, William offers her his elbow which Susanna takes again and they head back to the village. 'So who was the person you were selling with?' William asks curiously.

'My sister.'

'How come someone so beautiful as you be related to someone as ugly as you?'

'William!' Susanna exclaims.

'I'm being serious!'

'Well she's more beautiful in my Father's eyes.'

'How can this be so?'

'My mother, was with child 9 years after Agnes was born. People thought she was barren, but because of her being older than most women in pregnancy. And I came to early. And it killed my Mother. Father has never forgiven me. Anne was always the obedient one. I always longed for my Mother as i never got to meet her, Agnes had 9 years on memories with her. I can never forgive myself for ridding my Sister and Father of the woman they loved. Father says it's even worse looking at me'

'That wasn't your fault Susanna, you're living, that's all that matters.' Susanna smiles up at Will. 'Can I see you again?' William asks.

'My Sister and I are in the market place everyday, apart from Sundays.'

'Well I shall see you tomorrow Mistress Hathaway.' William takes Susanna hand and presses a kiss to it. 'Goodbye Master Shakespeare.'

'Susanna, where have you been?' Agnes moans to her sister as she arrives back at the stall. Susanna still reeling from her time with Will. 'Susanna! Answer me!' Agnes demands. Susanna huffs 'I went walking, I told you that.'

'I would have refused if I knew you would take so long.' Susanna rolls her eyes and, to prevent getting any more nagging from her sister, gets back to work.

Once back at the farmhouse, Susanna went straight up to the room she shared with Agnes to lay on her bed, her thoughts haunted by Will, the kiss and the prospect of meeting him again tomorrow. She stayed like this until being called to dinner by her Father. 'Susanna, you useless child, come down to dinner.' Susanna immediately jumps up and runs down the stairs to the kitchen where her Sister was serving her Father the stew she made. Susanna quickly kissed her Father on the cheek hastily and sat down, waiting to be served by Agnes. They ate most of their supper in silence until Richard Hathaway arose a matter to Susanna. 'So I heard you left Agnes today.' Susanna chewed on the tough meat before answering. 'I wasn't feeling very well Father, so I thought going by the river would help me.' Ages scoffed. 'And is that why you didn't help your Sister with supper tonight?' Richard questions. Susanna nods silently, the only answer extracted from her Father was 'Very well. The rest of the dinner consisted of complete silence and so did the clean up. After dinner, Richard retired to bed and so did Susanna and Agnes. As Susanna was brushing her silky hair, she got a heated lecture from her sister. 'How dare you lie to Papa! What type of Christian are you when you lie? You need to grow up! Soon you'll be married and your husband won't want a petty, silly child as a wife and it certainly won't be suitable for children and…'

'Oh shut up!' Susanna snaps back. 'You're just jealous that I'm the more attractive one and can get a husband and not a end up as 21 year old spinster!'

A sharp slap cuts across the room, Susanna clutches her cheek, the source of the slap, her Father. 'How dare you speak to your Sister like that! You are the devil's child! You murdered your own mother and stolen her looks to enchant men like a little slut you are.' With her eyes filled with tears, Susanna rushes from the house, and escapes to the village, down one of the paths she bumps into a tall figure who grabs her wrists 'No! No! Let go of me!' Susanna screams, tears streaming down her face. 'Susie, it's just me.' William calms Susanna, pulling her to his chest, letting her weep onto his chest. 'I cannot bear it in that house anymore.' Susanna sobs.

'You don't have to, you can come to mine.'

'Won't your parents mind?'

'I have no parents, I live by myself.'

'Will! I'm so sorry, how do afford to live alone?'

'I sell my poetry, under another name. My parents inheritance. You might have to work to bring some income in but it shouldn't be a lot.'

'William, I'm not working as a whore!'

'I wasn't saying that! Just some odd bits of work.' Susanna nods and William leads her to his house.


End file.
